Don't call me 'Fatso' ... This portly marsupial may not be as docile as he seems.

Don't call me 'Fatso' ... This portly marsupial may not be as docile as he seems.

A Black Saturday bushfire survivor is recovering in hospital after he was attacked by a wombat outside his caravan north-east of Melbourne today.

Bruce Kringle, 60, lay on top of the animal in a desperate bid to stop the attack in Flowerdale just before 7am.

A neighbour heard his cries for help and, after telling Mr Kringle to move off the animal, killed it with a blow from the back of an axe.

Mr Kringle, an animal lover who is living in a caravan while his new house to be built, has told family he feared for his life during the attack.

He was taken to The Northern Hospital in Epping with puncture wounds to his legs and arms.

A Rural Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said Mr Kringle told paramedics another person had complained about a rogue wombat in the area two days ago.

Geoff McClure, compliance team leader for the Department of Sustainability and Environment, said a wombat attack was extremely unusual.

He said wombats could feel threatened and rush at a person, especially if the animal was suffering from the skin condition mange, caused by parasitic mites.

‘‘In the advanced stages wombats become very irritable and anyone who approaches them, they usually view as a threat and may run towards them,’’ he said.

‘‘They appear aggressive but we have never had reports of wombats actually attacking people.’’

Article from The Age http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/manmauling-wombat-felled-by-axe-20100406-rnqk.html

Hope Bruce is feeling better soon.